Mercury Sandals
by Tsukino Kaze
Summary: PostGame Squinoa. Every person gains scars throughout life some deeper than others. For Squall&Rinoa, a new life together may be forming. But genuine relationships are fragile and these two struggle through old wounds reopened and new scars to come. DELAY


Disclaimer: I don't own any of Squaresoft's characters in this story, nor most locations.

-Hullooo all my readers. I welcome you to my third and final fanfiction! Just kidding, this will not be my last, fer shur. I've taken a different route in writing this one and decided it would be a post-game drama and romance. Well, duh, I always write romances. Anywho, I was actually going to make this a one-shot deal with lots of fluff.... but then sanity caught up with me and said Psha! Since when did you stop after just _one _chapter??' and then I said to sanity, I dunno...' with that ashamed look on my face. So, after that incredibly short conversation with myself, I've come to conclusion to make this a looooot longer. Not as long as this introduction I'm giving right now, though. Wow, I just keep rambling and pushing keys....amazing....!! Sorry-

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Chapter 1: Baby Steps

It's one of those moments where everything comes rushing back to you all in one flood of urgency. All your memories. Not just the ones that sooth you to sleep at early twilight; the ones you _choose _to remember and are always seemingly altered towards the end. Not just the ones that prick the back of your mind, demanding to be relived, no matter how painful and gaping. And not just the ones you remember because a night full of vivid dreams and a piercing sunlight have yet to erase.

_Everything_.

Every detail, finely embroidered into the part of your mind that is held in tightly guarded secrecy. Some are dangerous, departing your thoughts from original paths and patterns, sending the subconscious into a sprawling melee. Others are simply unneeded, but as important to say why you were afraid in the first place. From newborn innocence to the deepest sin of man, everything is recovered.

As unfortunate as it is the luckiest moment in a lifetime, the sensation comes to its climax of renewal to its death in the span of a second. From here only silence so dark it can almost be heard fills the temporary blank behind your eyes. Confusion bubbles thickly from your spine, slowly building and crawling a way around the skull. Suddenly you aren't sure what's just occurred. Placement has flipped and right is now wrong. Surely black was just white.... wasn't it? My feet were made to touch ground, by laws of gravity..... I think.... Was I meant to lack all color and have a rainbow's variety at once?

Only one has not changed; has not opposed itself to the adversary. Good is good. Bad is bad. Symptoms as such mentioned can only fit into one of the two categories. If not, it is declared confusion, and a firm slice of sanity cracks and falls away.

Frustration, love, hate, anger, fear, and revelation.

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This one is good.

There's no question about it. I feel a strange, yet welcome tingling and my lips irresistibly curve upwards. It's a sly smile of satisfaction; the kind you make when you know you've made an impact for your own greater good. It's the utmost selfish kind you always share with only yourself in a sanctuary of unmentionable secrets. But this one is different: I just can't hold it back. I know he felt it, too, so my smile grows wider until I have to pull back. I'm unexpectedly hit with a cold chill. It doesn't effect my grin, though.

I see his face mere inches from my own. I'm in that ultra-sense mode where everything about him is full of movement and life. Each and every one of my senses is now prone to him and him alone. His eyes stare intensely into mine with a compound of seriousness and disappointment. I know plenty who would have disagreed, claiming to decipher only their own reflection, but I've learned to read the signs, no matter how small and subliminal. Half the time the sweetest words are murmured through spiteful comments. Remembering such instances somehow amuses me and I laugh aloud like small child.

I am kept from the infant squirming though, as his arms are still tightly wound around my back and waist. Its a warmth I do not wish to escape... _never_. It seeps within my knowledge that at one point or another it will and a foreign feeling of fear begins to twist in and out of my guts. Maybe he's rubbing off on me? This is something I can only imagine he's felt all too many times throughout his youthful life. I try to ignore it and focus my attention back on him.

He still has that serious face plastered on. If anything, the corners of his mouth have dropped three inches with concern. I'm thinking he's just regretted taking the initiative.

"What is it?" he asks me with a guilty tint touching his voice. His brows furrow and he releases me from his comforting hold. His disposition towards me has always been quite timid. I almost feel overpowering, as if _I'm _the alpha male and he's the one with the tail between his legs. I wonder why sometimes.

Again, I'm hit with a cold wind. I wonder if it's been there all along and I've just never noticed. There's an fulfillment he took with him when he let go and continues to take every time he releases me. It's easy for me to notice that the emptiness had never been there before since the time he had somewhat held me in the Ragnarok. Perhaps something had grown inside of me and it's now within his power to control. At these times I am helpless to that region. My legs too, I notice, were also quite dependent on him for that moment, but I'm quick to gain composure.

"Nothing," I reply with true innocence. "I'm happy, that's all. Do people not smile when they're happy?" I know I have that look in my eyes telling him that he just committed the same crime not long ago.

I'm getting lost in his beauty again, so I turn my gaze out over the balcony. We're at the SeeD party in Balamb Garden. Ultimacia has been defeated and everyone is safe and here: the whole group of us. It's another joy I like to reminisce in. Any one of us could have easily died, but fate had other ideas in store. Good thing,' I nag to myself every night when only quiet presses down onto me, because a lot of this was your fault.' I eagerly banish this thought, not wanting to ruin a more than perfect evening.

I can hear a sweet symphony humming distantly from the ball room, even though the doorway to go back inside is not far. I suppose there's enough nooks and crannies throughout the place to hold the echoes in firm grip.

I personally enjoy it out here better in the serene quiet. The gaiety has gotten to my head and I'm in pristine check of myself being a bit too tipsy. Alcohol has nothing to do with this giddy feeling though. It sits warmly at the bottom of my stomach and when I think about it, the sensation runs in every which direction and sends my heart to a relished flutter. Yes,' I have been constantly repeating to myself for the past minute or so, Squall just _kissed_ you.' I keep my focus under strict observation; I don't want to suddenly jump on him out of nowhere and smitten him with passionate kisses. Patience will pay. Look what it's already granted me.

I'm looking out into the sky, trying to tell the ocean reflection from the firelight stars. The moon makes this a difficult task, but its an easy distraction. Still, his presence fills my every sense. He's so close and it's hard not to look at him. My nose is filled with his spicy scent mixed with the salty ocean air. I can feel heat radiating off of him and I struggle with my better judgement not to lean into it. He's already shy and I wouldn't want to burden him with embarrassment or that awkward feeling that grows unconditionally when you're around those you're close with. Or rather I should refer to them as our friends. I feel all eight eyes burning into the back of my head. I know they're watching us. How _embarrassing_!

They are mine friends as much as they are his... even though the phrase containing my' and friends' still has trouble slipping past his lips. It's up there, though, in his complicated train of thoughts. Something else is, too, but it scares me a little. No more me than it does him, I'm sure. I just get flustered to think about it... whereas he shuts and locks himself into corners.

I'm proud though, of him _and _me. Of him for as far as he's gotten with as short of time.... and me for getting him there. I don't grant myself too much credit, though, as it took more than just myself to put cracks into his icy wall. Gladly, the first major impact has already been accomplished. From there, smaller cracks will spread like blood from a wound and slivers of ice will break away until the whole berg shatters. I had to put my life on the line for it (not at my own will, mind you), but if it wasn't for my little episode and coma........ well, who knows. He may have not just kissed me, that's for sure. Anything, even a threat to my life, was worth that. Well, that and his oh-so-sexy smile. Hopefully I'll be seeing lots of those in the near future.

"It's incredible out here. The stars are so bright and the moon so full. I really love this," I say and mean several obvious things within those last four words. My eyes are still out among the visible nebulae, but I can still barely see him nod at my side. He remains motionless and silent like a hot breeze in autumn that you know is coming but still surprises you when it hits. I close my eyes in anticipation, hoping with all my heart that he'll take his arms and wrap me in that warm breeze again. It doesn't come. I wasn't really expecting it, though...was I? Geez, I'm still in shock he kissed me. I don't have high hopes it'll get any farther than that...tonight.

Baby steps. I have to take baby steps with him. And even though each will be a wobbly and unsteady progression, we will get closer. And even though we may drag a heel, leading us to fall, the distance is not too far; nothing will be broken because our bones are still fresh. And even though our eyes will grow full of tears and our frustration will build up to our throats, we will battle to stand. Eventually, through ever struggle survived and every lesson potentially learned, we will reach the couch... or the table... or the safety of mother's arms. This is the end of our prelude and the beginning of our future. It's a long way, despite how close our goal appears. Just know, that every step I'll be with you, being the soft carpet you get up on once more than every time you fall.

I look at you, still so distant. Can you hear my thoughts? My wishes? My desires to be with you? My hopes that you will be the same carpet beneath my own baby steps?

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A/N: Well there you have it. Plenty of fluffity-fluff in this one. My fav. so don't _even _complain unless you have a worthy suggestion. Jus' messin' write me whatever your heart desires. Oh yes, since this is my first version with first person, I'm not sure if I should alter the view from Squall's to Rinoa's back and forth. Tell me what you think. Thanks!!!


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